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General discussion

Wiping a hard drive.

Dec 11, 2003 9:15PM PST

How easy is it to wipe an old hard drive, re-install windows and have a 'fresh' computer?

Discussion is locked

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Re:Wiping a hard drive.
Dec 11, 2003 9:20PM PST

"How easy is it to wipe an old hard drive, re-install windows and have a 'fresh' computer?"

The answer is this question:

Can you inventory the machine, collect drivers for all components, and then install Windows?

Bob

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Re:Re:Wiping a hard drive.
Dec 11, 2003 9:40PM PST

Anything else I would need to collect apart from drivers?

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Somewhere below ...
Dec 11, 2003 10:28PM PST

you'll find two discussions from Atomicsoda on this subject. In the first I gave some details and a few helpful links (there are much more to be found, and probably better also, but the info from the old forum has gone). In the second Bob Proffit shows you have to have your BIOS password ready also, if that write-protects the bootsector, and you gave it a password.

The answer to your question is something like: passwords, settings, applications (cd, setup.exe or know where to download it), personal data, downloaded music. In fact you have to know about about every piece of data and program on your machine that didn't come from the Windows 98 CD.
It would be painful, to name a thing, if you had saved your Internet-access (dial-up or cable) password, and could't find the letter it was in (which you received maybe a few years ago) when setting up the new connection. Same goes for pop3-accounts (your email settings), macro's you painfully added to normal.dot and all those nice little details.

Regarding the drivers: don't forget to install the motherboard drivers, if you have them, or maybe all the USB won't work anymore.

Don't underestimate this, if you don't have some experience.

Good luck,


Kees

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Re:Somewhere below ...
Dec 11, 2003 10:42PM PST

Thank you for replies,
It all sounds a bit daunting for my level. Think I'll leave it for now!

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Only do it when absolutely necessary.
Dec 11, 2003 11:18PM PST

Although you sometimes read the recommandation to do it regularly (say twice a year) to 'clean up things' I can't find that a good idea.
From the old forum I remember 'neo matrix', who made such a mess of his PC by experimenting, and downloading and uninstalling all kinds of software, that once he wrote he did it about once a month. I found that rather shocking (or was it amusing?).


Kees